Re1194 - Maintenance payments: Child Support Agency Assessments

CSA assessments do not look like legal agreements, court orders or tax assessments. They normally take the form of letters from the Child Support Agency office which is dealing with the application for maintenance. These letters are headed 'Your Child Support Maintenance Assessment' and are sent to

• the absent parent - notifying him or her that `Following the application by `n' (the parent with care) for child support maintenance for `x' (name of child) the Child Support Officer has calculated that the weekly amount payable is £y. This is payable from (date)......' and
• the parent with care of the child - notifying her or him that `Following your application (or the application by the absent parent) for child support maintenance, the Child Support Officer has calculated that the weekly amount payable by `n' (the absent parent) is £y. This is payable from (date) for `x' (name of child) born...'.

The letters may then go on to show how the payments are calculated and how to appeal against the assessment if either side disputes the figure. The payer and the recipient will, of course, only be able to produce their letter, not that of the other party to the assessment. Variations of the wording will occur, but the letter should always

• be from the Child Support Agency
• indicate the name of the child or children concerned
• show the weekly amount(s) payable and
• show the starting date for the payments. This date is the 'effective' date for the purposes of the Child Support Act, but may not be effective for tax purposes, see Re1196 - Re1197.

Since the CSA can make interim assessments while full information is being obtained, see Re1197, and final assessments may be reviewed, it is important to ensure that you are dealing with the correct assessment(s) in force for the year in question.

A final assessment may be reviewed

• on appeal by either party
• under new procedures introduced early in 1995 to reduce the burden on payers whose previously settled payments substantially increased
• where there is a change in the circumstances of the absent parent or parent with care and either party seeks an adjustment or
• as part of a regular programme of review by the CSA, this will usually be every two years.